Carmen De Los Santos-Raudales

Carmen De Los Santos-Raudales, 81, of Ventura passed away Thursday, June 11, 2015, at home in Ventura. She was born on March 8, 1934, in Santa Paula to Ramon and Felipa De Los Santos, and had been a lifelong county resident.

Carmen worked for 25 years at 3-M Manufacturing in Camarillo, retiring in 1996. She was a longtime member of the Moose Lodge of Ventura and Sylmar. She enjoyed dancing cumbias; teaching her sisters, friends, daughter and grand-daughter how to dance. Carmen loved listening to the Mariachis and going to see The Camperos and would always request her favorite song, Mi Gusto Es. She loved the song so much she even had a personalized license plate made: MIGSTOS and we would tease her and call it “Migs Toes”. She would just laugh at our silliness. Carmen was an amazing cook and could make a meal out of a potato, onion, tomato sauce and spices. She enjoyed tending to her garden and had an amazing green thumb that has been passed on to her children Shelly, Alex and Jacque. Carmen was excellent at embroidery and made many gifts throughout the years for loved ones. She celebrated life to the fullest and everyone said she was “the life of the party”, her laugh was the loudest one in the room, telling jokes but never getting to the punch line without cracking up. The most treasured times are the ones she spent celebrating with her family. Carmen never forgot a birthday, and would call each one of us on our birthdays and sing us the Happy Birthday song. It’s a memory we will always treasure.

We are blessed to have so many memories of love and laughter with our Mother. We wish to celebrate her life and everything that she was. She would want it that way.

Carmen is survived by her daughter, Shelly Navarro of Ventura; son and daughter-in-law, Alex and Debbie Navarro of Santa Paula; son, Arthur Navarro of Ventura, daughters and sons-in-law, Blane and Nancy Evans of San Diego and Jacqueline and Art Lopez of Whittier; grandchildren, Carmen Echabarria and Marco Gonzalez, Joaquin Echabarria, and Alexis Navarro; great-grandchildren, Dylan, Cruz and Sophia; sisters, Julia, Mary Anita, Frances and Gloria; brother, Richard; as well as many friends and extended family. Carmen is also survived by her canine companion, Shayla.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Ramon and Felipa; daughter, Gina, brothers, Manuel, Tony and Marcelino and partner, George Sinclair.

The family would like to extend special thanks to Sarah, Fran, Lisa, Gaby and Joaquin, and the Assisted Home Hospice team for the loving care given their mother.

Funeral services will take place Wednesday, June 17, 2015, 11:30 A.M. at the Ted Mayr Funeral Home, 3150 Loma Vista Road, Ventura, with Pastor Dan Hull officiating. Burial will immediately follow at Ivy Lawn Memorial Park, Ventura.

Arrangements are under the direction of the Ted Mayr Funeral Home.